Leaf Soldiers
by annoyingsister
Summary: "It's what gives us the strength to defend our village. It's the unbreakable bond that ties us all together. It's what makes us a family. I wonder, do you have it yet, young as you are?" Third Hokage


**Authors Notes: This will probably be the last story I post for a little while. There will be more to come though. I have PLENTY of plans for other stories, so don't forget about me please. :) pleas comment and tell me any thoughts, what you like, if something could have been better... you know. There's always room for improvement.**

**Leaf Soldiers**

Shikamaru sat on the roof of the academy, playing with his stuffed toy deer. He paused as a shadow came over him, and looked up, coming face to face with a young girl with blond frizzy hair.

"Hi." she greeted.

Shikamaru stared at her, mouth open in a small 'o'.

The girl stood above him arms folded, frowning. "You're in my spot."

Shikamaru frowned, then scooted over slightly.

Temari grinned. "Thanks!" she plopped down beside him. "I'm Temari. Oh! You have a toy! Let me play!" She took the stuffed deer from Shikamaru without waiting. Standing up, she sat the toy down in her place, then took a few steps back, then nodded. "Okay. You are my students, and I am your sensei. You have to do what I say, and you're gonna become Shinobi."

Shikamaru raised an eyebrow.

The fuzzy blond started pacing. "We are at war, and we need to defend our village. That's the most important thing, Right?" She pointed to Shikamaru.

Shikamaru didn't move.

"Of course it is!" she leaned forward. "Don't you know anything? Shinobi are suppose to fight the enemy. Keep them away from their village."

Shikamaru sighed.

Temari paused, then grinned. "I know! We need an enemy!" She looked around.

Shikamaru looked at his toy and started playing with it on his own again.

"That'll work!" Temari reached and snatch it.

The little boy gasped as it was once again pulled from his grasp.

Temari ran over to the bench, and positioned the toy. Once satisfied, she stood back by Shikamaru. "Now watch." She formed hand signs. "Wind style... Jutsu!" She thrust her hands forward.

Nothing happened.

Shikamaru raised an eyebrow, almost snickering.

Temari smiled anyways, and ran over to the toy. "And it gets cut here, and here, and here..."

Shikamaru's eyes widened as he watched the girl swipe her hand around the toy, making various imaginary cuts. "UHHHH!"

"Temari?"

The kids turned to the woman's voice.

She was blond and looked a lot like her daughter, except her hair was no where near as frizzy. She had beautiful and pleasant facial features. "Temari? … ...What are you doing?"

The little girl held up the deer by the tail. "I'm protecting my village! I'm teaching him." She pointed to Shikamaru.

The woman gently took the toy. "Honey, I'm glad you are helping, but we are allies with Konoha." she looked at the toy. "I don't think they'd be too happy if you kill off their deer."

Temari folded her arms. "It's not a deer. It's an enemy. And I killed it."

Her mom gently took the deer and gave it back to Shikamaru. "Why don't you ask him what he wants to play?"

"I WOULD, but he can't talk."

Shikamaru watched, holding is toy safely in his lap, one hand around it's ear.

The mom smiled. "It's okay. He'll get it. Just like your brother did."

"Ya, now Kankuro won't leave me alone!" Then Temari smiled. "THAT'S why I left him with Baki-san."

"You shouldn't have ran away from your guard Temari."

Temari frowned. "But why? We're allies with Konoha."

Her mom put a hand on her stomach, then moved it away. "...Just play nicely, okay?"

Temari smiled as her mom gave in. "I will!"

Her mom sat back, and looked at Shikamaru, his tiny ponytail barely moved in the breeze. The boy couldn't have been too much more than a year. She decided to stay to make sure Temari didn't get too carried away in her playing.

"Do you want to play too mom?"

The woman smiled. "I have a game. Sit down Temari." She took out a scroll and started drawing on it.

Temari watched, them smiled. "It's a map!"

The woman nodded. "That's right." She pointed to the two villages, Suna, and Konoha. "We need some marker pieces."

Shikamaru reached behind him, and caught some leaves from the air. He handed them to the woman.

She blinked, then smiled. "...Why thank you."

Shikamaru let her have one, then handed one to Temari.

Temari grabbed it, clutching it in her hand. "How do we tell who's who?"

After marking the leafs, Temari's mom explained the game. "Okay. We are in Konoha here. The three of us need to get back to Suna before our enemies do. What is the quickest rout?"

Temari pointed. "The way we came in."

Her mom nodded. "Okay. Let's say..." She picked up a few pebbles. "There's two enemies blocking our way here."

Temari smiled. "We can take them!"

Shikamaru set his leaf on top of the rocks.

The mom smiled. ~...He might be too young for this. ...Well... I'll make it simple then.~ "Okay. You chose to fight. Here's the game."

.~.

Shikamaru frowned as his leave got pushed off the board again.

"It's okay." The woman reassured. "You'll get it."

"He helped us get through to the village though." Temari offered.

The mother watched her daughter. "Ya, but he lost his life."

"Isn't it better that we get to the village though?"

Shikamaru looked down, brushing the deer's ear with his hands.

"...well... I... guess it depends on the situation."

Shikamaru glanced up.

Temari frowned. "Like what?"

Her mother pointed to the villages. "If we were sent to get help from Suna, then the important part would be to get someone there. ...but if we were evacuating Konoha, ...then our mission will be to get as many to Suna that we can."

Temari frowned. "...E...vacuum ate?"

The Suna woman chuckled. "Evacuate. That's when people leave the village because it's under attack." She noticed the boy look at the mountain with the four hokage's faces. "It's okay." she assured him. "Konoha's a strong village. It won't go down that easy."

Shikamaru picked up his leaf, and moved the pebbles around.

Temari watched. Then blinked when Shikamaru pointed to her leaf. "No, it's mine!"

Her mom gave Shikamaru her own leaf. "It's okay honey, let him borrow it."

Temari reluctantly gave it to him.

Shikamaru arranged the pieces, and soon had the rocks in various other places, ready for attack, and Konoha surrounded closely by the three leaves.

The woman chuckled. "Not bad."

Temari frowned. "What about Suna?"

Shikamaru looked at the map. He touched the leaves, then paused. After a moment, he pointed to a nearby tree.

Temari turned. "...Ya, we need more shinobi." She got up and ran over to the tree.

"Careful Temari." Her mom warned as she came close to the edge of the roof.

They were so involved in placing the leaves, they didn't hear the steps coming up to the roof.

"There you are Shikamaru!"

The boy turned, seeing his mom.

Temari's mom turned. "Oh, hello."

The new comer looked at her and smiled. "Ah, You must be Karura-Sama from Suna."

Karura nodded. "Yes."

The brown haired woman smiled. "I'm Nara Yoshino. Welcome to Konoha."

Temari looked up. "And I'm Temari. She's my mom."

The Nara woman smiled. "It's very nice to meet you Temari. I see you've already met my son, Shikamaru."

"Ya, but we didn't know his name 'til now."

"Ya, he hasn't decided to talk yet." Yoshino knelt by her son gently stroking his small ponytail. "And are you escorting our visitors today son?"

The little boy looked up at his mother. "No," he said. "they just came up and started yacking."

Yoshino was just as surprised as the shinobi from the Sand village.

"Then we decided to play a game and got into a good conversation." The little boy stood, and handed his toy to his mom, then walked towards the stairs. He sat on the top step, turned around onto his belly, and slid down the steps.

Thump, thump, thu thu thu thu thu...

Yoshino shook her head in shock. "...Shikamaru!" she ran over to the steps, looking down.

The little boy laughed, running as fast as his little legs could carry him.

His mother looked at the Suna visitors. "...Um... I'm sorry... I... I need to go... ...Nice meeting you! Have a pleasant stay." She ran down the steps. "Shikamaru, you get your tiny butt back here!"

Temari turned to her mom. "...Mom? ...What is 'con-vert-satin'?"

Karura blinked, unsure rather to laugh or be embarrassed. "...That's... when two... or more people talk with each other." ._..I think we underestimated that little guy. ...and by the looks of it... so did his mom._

**Authors Note:**

I hope you enjoyed! Please leave a review so I know what you like, and how I might can improve my stories.

Thanks to Himeflye for the idea of adding Karura, and to Captainflye for the title.


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